The most common Chinese way of saying Happy Lunar New Year in Mandarin is Gong Xi Fa Cai (pronounced, gong she fa tsai), meaning “Wishing you enlarged wealth!” (Gong Xi means wishing/blessing, Fa means enlarge(ment), Cai means wealth. The phrase is generally used as “Happy New Year!”, as well as wishing every one more prosperity.
It is also known as the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year, one of the most celebrated events across the globe. The date of celebration varies every year. The traditions and celebrations go back in time, and are transmitted from generation to generation to welcome health, wealth, and good relationships over the coming year. Typically, families gather at a designated relative’s house for dinner, but these days, many Filipino Chinese families often celebrate in a restaurant. This has been adapted by many Filipinos as main reason to have quality family bonding time.
This year, the Chinese New Year of the Earth Dog was declared on the 16th of February as a public holiday. It falls on a different date every year as the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, based on exact astronomical observations of the sun’s longitude and the moon’s phases. The Chinese calendar’s origins can be traced as far back as the 14th century BCE. The Shang oracle bones give evidence of a lunisolar calendar which has been much modified but persists to this day. It is believed that the Emperor Huangdi (Huang Ti or Huang Di) introduced the calendar between 3000 and 2600 BCE, or around 2637 BCE. On this day, people exchange gifts and light firecrackers as they believed it will bring them prosperity and good fortune for their family and businesses. Other traditions associated with this day included hanging of the Fu symbol on the main door of the house, which is supposed to bring good luck, and wearing red clothes. Dragon and lion dances are also popular, a long-lived tradition perceived to attract blessings and good luck.
China resisted the Gregorian calendar until 1912 but it was not widely used throughout the country until the Communist victory in 1949. This widespread change occurred on Oct. 1, 1949 when Mao Zedong, who led the People’s Republic of China, ordered that the year should be in accord with the Gregorian calendar.
Feng shui practioners declare that Chinese Zodiac 2018 energies are dominated by the Earth element in its Yang form. It’s an eventful year, marked by security concerns, and the rise of social conservative movements within society.
One must remember that the Chinese zodiac sign of the Dog, symbol of intelligence and protection, can also turn the year 2018 into a sensitive period, during which activists and students, but also ordinary citizens, feeling deprived of hope and being socially-excluded, will not hesitate to demand radical changes to their life conditions, and to preserve the future of their children. It is up for the individual to believe or not believe these traditional Chinese myths, handed down from generation to generation.
Gong Xi Fa Chai everyone!
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